Reversible notifying device for office doors



Mar. 20, 1923.

G. A. SMITH REVERSIBLE NOTIFYING DEVICE FOR OFFICE DOORS Filed ,Ndv. 12, 1921 LEAVE NAME AND PHONE NO. AND YOU WILL BE CALLED.

Patented l iar. 2Q, @9232.

" l. ii

GEORGE A. SMITH, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

REVERSIBLE NOTIFYING DEVICE FOR OFFICE DOORS.

Application filed November To a l? 1.0/1 0m it may concern lie it lrnown that l. Gnonon A. SMITH, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented a new and useful Reversible Notifying Device for Office Doors, of which the following is a specitication.

This invention relates to improvements in reversible indicating or notifying devices for o'llice doors.

The object of the invention is to provide a swinging panel or plate adapted to be semired to an oiiice door or door frame, one side of which furnishes notification of the absence of the occupant and the time of his return; the other side thereof indicating by a suitable legend that the occupant is within.

Further, to provide a plate or panel of this character which is pivotally mounted at two opposite corners to swing like a door; one of its sides having a clock dial and movable hands, said dial having the words, Out, will return. at printed thereon, the said side also having a pocket thereon for the reception of notes or letters left by callers, means being provided for preventing the accidental swinging of said panel; the opposite side of the panel bearing a notification to the effect that the occupant is within.

These objects are accomplished by the de vice indicated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1, is a view of the side of the panel which indicates the absence of the occijuiiant of the office and the time of his returm. the panel being arranged as when mounted on a door.

Fig. 2, is a view of the reverse side of the panel.

Fig. 3, is a perspective view showing a modification in the arrangement of the pocket on the panel.

Fig. i, is aperspective view of one of the panel-supporting brackets; and

Fig. 5, is a sectional view through a portion of the panel. and showing the pocket thereon.

The present invention is designed to provide a convenient and attractive device for notifying callers or clients of the presence of the occupant of an oflice, or of his absence and the time of his return, said device being permanently attached to an oflice door, and being arranged as will now be set forth.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Serial No. 514,653.

The numeral 1, indicates a plate or panel which may he of any suitable material, but which is preferably of metal. From the upper and lower corners of one edge of this plate, project short pintles or trunnions 2, which are adapted to enter bearing holes 3, in the horizontal members of angle plates or brackets e and 5, which are screwed to the door of an ofiice, or to the frame of said door, as may be desired.

A. short space is left between the upper edge of the plate and the horizontal portion of the upper bracket 4-, and a short coil spring 6, is interposed between the upper edge of the door and the said bracket, which acts to continuously press the lower edge of the plate against the lower bracket 5. l

The horizontal member of the lower hraclrct 5, has a curved vertical lip 7, formed on its outer edge, which normally bears against one or the other side of the lower edge portion of the plate and prevents accidental swinging of the same. When, however. it is desired toreverse the position of the plate, a slight outward pull on the same causes its lower edge to ride over the curved lip T, by which the plate is slightly raised against the action of the coil spring 6, and as the door passes beyond the center of the lip, the said spring forces it down until its lower edge engages the lower bracket in which position it is held until its position is again reversed.

The lower portion of one side of the plate is provided with a receptacle or pocket 8, for the reception of cards, notes. or letters. This pocket comprises a thin plate which is given an L-shaped bend along three of its edges, and these three edges are riveted to the main plate 1, the body of the pocket being thus spaced from the plate 1, as clearly shown in Figure 5. The open end of this pocket may be its top end, as shown in Figure 1, or it may be arranged with the opening on one of its sides as shown in Figure 8, and'asuitable legend or notification such as, Leave name and phone number and. you will be called, is displayed upon the plate above the said pocket.

On the same side of the plate 1, and above the pocket, is imprinted a clock dial 9, at the axial center of which is rotatably secured an hour hand and. a minute hand, which may be set to indicate the time at which the occupant of the office will return, and upon the face of the dial is displayed the words, Gut, will return at.

When the opposite side of the plate 1, is displayed, any desirednotificationjindieating the presence of the occupant of the oflice, such as the, words: In. Please knock. a light chain 10, of suitable length, is attached at one end to the inner edgeof the plate, and a lead pencil 11, is connected to its opposite end for the use of callers.

\Vhen the occupant of the office is within, the side of the plate indicating that fact is displayed, and when he is to be absent, the opposite side of the plate is displayed by simply turning the same on its pivots, and in either position of the plate, it will be heldagainst accidental swinging, by the lip 7. By securing the chain 10, to the inner edge of the plate, or in line with its pivotal axis, it is not affected by the swinging of! the plate from one position to the other, and always hangs next the door, and therefore out of the way.

lilavii'ig described my invention, whatl claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

V 1. In a notifyingdevice for office use, the

combination with an oflice door, of brackets thereon arranged in vertical alignment, a plate pivotally mounted'in said brackets in line with one of its side edges, and coacting resilient and frictional means for preventing accidental swinging of the plate, said A flexible connection, preferably plate having on one of its sides a clock dial provided with manually operable hands in connection with the words, Out. Will return at, a pocket, on said side, and an inscription on its opposite side notifying the presence of the occupant of the oflice.

2. In a notifying device for oflice use, the combination with an office door, of brackets secured thereon in vertical alignment, a plate having trunnions on its upper and lower edges which are pivotally mounted in said'brackets, a coil spring encircling the upper trunnion and interposed between the bracket and the adjacent edge of the plate, the lower bracket having a curved lip on its outer edge which prevents accidental swinging of said plate, said plate being raised against the tension of the spring as its lower edge moves over the curved lip when the position of said plate is manually reversed, a clock dial on one side of said plate provided with manually operable hands in connection with an inscription for indicating the absence of the occupant of the ofiice; a pocket on the same side of said plate, and an inscription on the opposite side of the plate indicating the presence of the occupant of the office.

i In testimony whereof Ialiix signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE A. SMITH. Witnesses:

Gno. H; \VILLIAMsoN, AL ENE M. WILLrAMsoN, 

